The Bulgarian System

9 minute read

The System
SAID

SAID stands for “Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands” and states that “adaptation to a stressor is specific to that stressor”. Applied to weightlifting, this implies that performance is best improved by performing the snatch and clean & jerk with maximal weights. The SAID principle became the corner stone of Abadjiev’s training philosophy.

“Our athletes do not do any "supportive exercises" they stay with full clean and jerk, snatch, and front squat We have found that taking back squat out is more effective for the healthy lifter. Sticking with the three lifts named above as the only training for the advanced and healthy lifter…. If the athlete is injured they will do back squat or parts of the lift the full lifts (ie. high pulls, push press, etc...). You must be extremely careful with the stresses you put on your athletes. You must have direct benefits from each exercise because the athlete has limited recovery capacity.” IA
- 'David Woodhouse - Ivan Abadjiev & the Bulgarian Weightlifting System'

There is a lot of intuitive room in the program; Abadjiev is not above throwing in a high-rep set of squats here and there, or adding jerks from the rack for athletes with special needs. The only things that are not subject to intuitive manipulation are doing the snatch, clean & jerk, power snatch, power clean & jerk, and squatting – heavy and frequently. One of the big problems with USA weightlifting is we put far too much emphasis on technique and not enough emphasis on hard work. Weightlifting is not an easy sport.
- 'Jim Moser - The Bulgarian Method of Training Olympic Weightlifters'

Hang/Block (or other variation) work

Lifting from the hang or from blocks at various heights, is a popular method of teaching novice athletes and in this context these exercises certainly have merit. However, as soon as an efficient technique has been acquired the focus must shift to performing the full movement from the floor. It is a common observation that substantial work from the hang primarily serves to improve an athlete's performance at… lifting from the hang! In some situations, a lifter's maximum from the hang can actually start to exceed his best from the floor.

- 'David Woodhouse - Ivan Abadjiev & the Bulgarian Weightlifting System'

Dealing with minor injuries/aches etc
If you want be a successful lifter at the international level, the thing you must accept is that Olympic weightlifting is a long-term sport and at times can be very frustrating, especially during the adaptation phase. There will be times when you do not feel like getting out of bed, let alone squatting. These are the most important days and you must push through these if you are to achieve success in this program. Do not worry: the day will never come when you cannot lift the bar. There are lots of little tricks and techniques you can use to make it through this period. The majority of the complaints I have dealt with are about the knee pain.
1. Wrap the knees at night with Tiger Balm and sleep with the wraps on.
2. Fill the tub with water and then add bags of ice and soak the legs for twenty minutes.
3. Do not take anti-inflammatories, Abadjiev feels they delayed the adaptation period.
4. Warm up with light weights and do not go past 60 kg until the body is moving fast and you are hitting good positions. I have seen guys do as many as 10 sets at 60 kg before moving up.
5. No fooling around. The tendency is to do long slow workouts when you feel bad. You must do the opposite: train fast and take big jumps, and then allow your body more time to recover after the workout.

- 'Jim Moser - The Bulgarian Method of Training Olympic Weightlifters'

Periodisation

It has been reported that Abadjiev favoured a sequence of three hard weeks followed by one lighter one. Some have described the light week as involving a reduction in intensity whilst others suggested they simply involved a reduction in the training frequency with no reduction in intensity. It is likely that Abadjiev experimented with all the variables and adopted different models depending on the individual situation.
- 'David Woodhouse - Ivan Abadjiev & the Bulgarian Weightlifting System'

Bulgarians varied their loads through the months though. Bulgarians would have a loading month and unloading months in the program. The loading months were usually 3 weeks of intense training, high volume and intensity, followed by 1 week with light or moderate loads. Similarly when an unloading month was planned there would be in a month 3 weeks of light or moderate loads and 1 week of maximum loads. So some could say there was a method to their madness. Even though the Bulgarians planned the their program for the workouts out in advice there was flexibility when it came to intensity. An athlete never knows at what intensity they will be able to perform until they begin lifting. If an athlete is unable to reach their maximum intensity that means it is possible the athlete is fatigued and needs improved recovery measures.
- Olympic weghtlifting resource

Peaking

Abadjiev has stated that it is 'paramount' to maintain the intensity of training when preparing for competition. Tapering is therefore achieved by reducing training frequency over the final two weeks. Typically he would have his lifter's drop to four sessions in the penultimate week and then two sessions during the final week. Of course athletes in his system were already very tolerant of such training.

- 'David Woodhouse - Ivan Abadjiev & the Bulgarian Weightlifting System'

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Sample training

Training week

There are a number of schedules that have been presented by former Bulgarian coaches as examples of an average training week. Some call for absolute maximums only on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings and (maximum) power snatches and power cleans on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays. Other examples depict maximum lifts morning and evening on successive days. Please see the Appendix for examples.
- 'David Woodhouse - Ivan Abadjiev & the Bulgarian Weightlifting System'

Increasing workload
If you want to experience the Bulgarian system of training I recommend you begin with the following progression.
1. Train heavy every workout, 3 times per week.
2. Add one training day at a time until you are training 6 days per week.
3. Add 2 morning sessions a week of just front squats.
4. Increase this one day at a time until you are comfortable training 2 sessions per day 5 days per week and one session on Saturday.
5. Once you reach this stage add a light warm-up day on Sunday.
This is pretty much the Bulgarian system. It is very simple: snatch, clean & jerk, and front squat every day. The Bulgarian program is not a get strong quick program – it takes a long time to adapt and to perfect, and implementing these five steps will take years. Many American coaches have tried the program, and the program itself is no big secret. The secret is the discipline, determination and patience it takes to reach the top spot on the podium.
- 'Jim Moser - The Bulgarian Method of Training Olympic Weightlifters'

'Americanised Bulgarian' system

The following is a summary of the 'Americanised Bulgarian' system, which top US coach Steve Gough devised for drug free (mostly part time) Western athletes:

The corner stones of the program are the three maximum sessions performed on alternate days, e.g. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Time permitting, and with increased work capacity, lifters can then add lighter sessions (up to ~85%) on the 'off days' which function as active recovery from the preceding heavy workout. The last stage is to perform similar 'tuning' sessions on the morning of a heavy workout. There is substantial practical evidence that suggests a moderate session in the morning can actually improve the quality of a workout later in the evening.

- 'David Woodhouse - Ivan Abadjiev & the Bulgarian Weightlifting System'

Sample day
11:00am - 11:45 Front Squat
11:45am - 12:15 Break
12:15pm - 1:00 Snatch
1:00pm - 1:30 Break
1:30pm - 2:00 Clean & Jerk
- 'Jim Moser - The Bulgarian Method of Training Olympic Weightlifters'

Appendix
- 'David Woodhouse - Ivan Abadjiev & the Bulgarian Weightlifting System'

A. Example Loading Progressions

1. 50 (3), 70 (2), 90 (2), 100 (2), 110, 120, 120, 120

3 singles at maximum

2. 50 (3), 70 (2), 90 (2), 100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 120

2 singles at maximum with smaller increments to target

3. 50 (3), 70 (2), 90 (2), 100 (2), 110, 120, 102, 112, 122

1 single at maximum; drop down and work back up

4. 50 (3), 70 (2), 90 (2), 100 (2), 110, 120, 120, 105, 105, 105

2 singles at maximum and 3 'flushing' sets

B. Example Exercise Sequences

1. Snatch, Clean and Jerk, Front Squat

2. Snatch, Clean and Jerk, Front Squat, Snatch

3. Snatch, Clean and Jerk, Front Squat, Clean and Jerk

4. Front Squat, Snatch, Clean and Jerk, Front Squat

C. Example Training Week

Monday, Wednesday and Friday:

9.00 – 9.30 Front Squat

10.00 – 10.30 Break

10.30 – 11.00 Snatch

11.30 – 12.00 Break

12.00 – 12.30 Clean and Jerk

12.45 – 1.00 Front Squat

1.00 – 4.30 Break
4.30 – 5.00 Snatch

5.00 – 5.30 Break

5.30 – 6.00 Clean and Jerk

6.15 – 6.30 Front Squat

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday:

9.00 – 9.30 Squat

10.00 – 10.30 Break

10.30 – 11.00 Power Snatch

11.30 – 12.00 Break

12.00 – 12.30 Power Clean and Jerk

12.45 – 1.00 Front Squat

Zlatan Vanev's training day, 4 November 1998
PRs at the time: Sn 165, CJ 205, Total 370 at 77kg

Morning

Power Snatch 50/2, 70/2, 90/2, 110/2, 130, 130

P. Clean and Jerk 50, 110, 140, 160

Front Squat ???

Evening

Snatch 60/2, 80/2, 100/2, 120, 120, 130, 130, 140, 150, 155, 130, 145, 155, 160, 162F, 162F, 155

Clean and Jerk 70/2, 110/2, 140, 160, 180, 200, 210FJ, 210FJ, 210FJ, 210FJ, 210F

Front Squat 120, 200, 235, 245
- 'David Woodhouse - Ivan Abadjiev & the Bulgarian Weightlifting System'

Zlatan Vanev's training day, Tuesday 19 October 1999
PRs at the time: Sn 165, CJ 205, Total 370 at 77kg
Morning
10.10 – 10.28 Snatch 80/2+110/2+140/1+150/1+(155/1 went over)
10.28 – 11.30 rest
11.30 – 11.45 c + j 120/1+140/1+160/1+180/1+200/1
11.45 – 12.30 rest
12.30 – 12.55 snatch 90/1+120/1+140/1+150/1+90/1x2+120/1+140/1
12.55 – 13.40 rest
13.40 – 13.55 c + j 90/1+120/1+160/1+(200/1 missed the jerk)+190/1
13.55 – 14.00 rest
14.00 – 14.13 front squat 160/1+200/1+220/1+240/1
14.30 – 15.00 lunch
Evening
17.45 – 18.00 snatch 90/1+120/1+140/1+150/1+160/1
19.00 – 19.12 Abadjev kept a speech to the lifters
19.12 – 19.18 rest
19.18 – 19.35 c + j 100/1+130/1+160/1+190/1+205/1
19.35 – 20.18 rest (listening classical musik)
20.18 – 20.30 snatch 90/2+110/1+140/1+(150/1 went over)
20.30 – 20.55 rest
20.55 – 21.06 front squat 140/2+210/1+(250/1 didn’t get it)+240/1
21.30 – 22.00 dinner
- Unknown author

Sample week
Session 1
(Mon, Wed, Fri)
9:00-9:30 Front Squat
9:30-10:00 Break
10:00-11:00 Snatch
11:00-11:30 Break
11:30-12:30 Clean and Jerk
12:30-13:00 Front Squat
Session 2
(Mon, Wed, Fri)
16:30-17:30 Clean and Jerk
17:30-18:00 Break
18:00-19:00 Snatch
19:00-19:30 Front Squat
19:30-20:00 Pulls

Session 1
(Tue, Thu, Sat)
9:00-9:30 Squat
9:30-10:00 Break
10:00-10:45 Power Snatch
10:45-11:15 Break
11:15-12:00 Power Clean
12:00-12:30 Front Squat
12:30-13:00 Pulls
- Olympic weghtlifting resource